Fusajiro Yamauchi the creator of Nintendo who made the first ever Nintendo game and it was called super Mario bros, the reason I put Mario up here was because every one know or heard of him, he was a fan favourite of mine but I think some people might disagree.

# 4 Sonic the hedgehog

now sonic is one who is a well-known person with sega but I don’t really know him that much I know that he’s a fast hedgehog and he says you’re too slow at sometime but that’s really all I know

#3 Pokemon

Pokemon is a game where you try to catch all the 151 pokemon but people usually catch the strongest out of all of them most people choose charmander as there starter, but squirtle was my fan favorite and who can resist a turtle who has cannons on his back.

#2 the legend of Zelda

The legend of Zelda was a simple game that required really nothing and the sundial on the earth temple which most if not everyone thinks it was a swastika but think again

#1 Duck Hunt

Duck hunt was a game which you basically hunt a duck, but I needed a toy gun for you to shoot it with and if you get to level 100 the game thinks that no one can get to there and the game makes that duck move at an extreme speed

New pool expected to open end of 2016! Who’s excited for the pool? I know I am!

I think that the new pool is going to be awesome because I love to swim, I have been swimming for a while I did swimming lessons in Ottawa for 2 years but started off in level 4 and I also did swimming lessons at a lake for a summer.

My most exciting swimming activity I took part in was synchronized swimming! I did this in Ottawa before moving to Iqaluit; at the end of the season we did a water show were everyone presented a routine that we worked on through out the year.

It was lots of fun so I’m hoping I can get back to doing those things!

Things to do

There should be lots of things to do, like swimming lessons, swim team, you can have parties there and after your extra curricular activities you can go for a swim to cool down!

5 reasons to love swimming

Good exercise: swimming exercises your body

Keeps you cooled down: swimming will cool you down on hot days.

It’s fun: swimming can be fun especially when there’s a waterslide!

Good for you: swimming is really good for you because it improves your health.

Good practice: if you do a lot of swimming you could make the Olympics if you’re good enough or on a swim team.

In my video below I’m interviewing my friend and I ask her some questions about the new pool here in Iqaluit

I think a common misconception people have about depression is that it’s feeling sad- all the time. While this is certainly a part of it, often times depression presents itself in many ways other than just feeling sad constantly.

Depression is many things- it’s feeling hopeless, sad, tired, exhausted and void of any emotions at all. It’s the feeling of not being able to accomplish anything, or the feeling that you can’t even pull yourself out of bed in the morning. It’s when you burst into tears just because you burnt your breakfast. Sometimes, it even presents itself as physical pain- back aches, your joints creaking and moaning when you move, horrible migraines.

And what’s worse? Anybody can be depressed. Children, teens, adults, the elderly. Nobody is immune to depression, and yet so many people are misinformed about it and have no clue what to look out for.

When many people picture ‘depression’, they picture cut wrists and tears and “happy pills”- but this is, of course, a stereotype. While depression can be coped with in these ways, it isn’t the only coping method, and certainly isn’t a truly accurate portrayal of this mental illness.

Many teens, especially those in the arctic, suffer from depression- and yet so many are never diagnosed, never treated and never even talk to anybody about it. There’s such a stigma around mental illness and just feeling sad that many people are afraid to talk about it, let alone get the help they need for it.

In the arctic, I’ve noticed that it isn’t simply a stigma that prevents teens from speaking up- it’s also the simple lack of resources. Unless one has a referral from a doctor, it’s nearly impossible to get in for simple counseling, which can often lead to much worse things happening.

Along with this, many times, teens will even subconsciously reach out for help. It can be in the form of visible scars, or sobbing in front of your friends, or offhandedly mentioning things relating to it. Often times, people suffering from depression don’t even realize that they’re doing it. And yet, these people are often labelled ‘attention seekers’ by the people who notice, and are written off- why, you ask? The stigma.

And it’s not always the simple ignoring of these cries for help- it is also often that people simply choose to not deal with it. Many people would rather stay out of it and let somebody else deal with it, though as most can figure, when everybody chooses to do this, no help ever occurs. This is what many people refer to as being a bystander- an accurate term for the act.

I think what many people who deal with depression don’t realize is that they really are not alone. While it’s a common thing to say, it is true. An estimated 1 in 4 Canadians suffer from depression serious enough to warrant treatment- and yet so many go untreated and continue to suffer in silence.

For those who are dealing with depression, there are many resources out there for help.

As always, I would recommend giving Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868) a call. As a person who has used their counseling service, I can recommend it from experience and vouch that it does help teens and children who need help.

Of course, there are many more online resources as well. As a person who has quite a fondness for lists, I have compiled a short one with several resources I recommend from experience, have had recommended to me, or have heard about via doing some research around the web:

http://kidshelpphone.ca/Teens/Home.aspx – the website for Kids Help Phone, which now offers an online counseling service, and has many informative articles about mental illness, among other teen issues.

While these sites are useful, I would recommend that anybody self-harming or contemplating suicide or just simply struggling with depressive thoughts and feelings should seek help, either from a friend or family member, or from a professional.

For those who are unsure of how to seek professional help, as a person who sought help while living in the arctic, here’s a basic rundown on the way I found it most effective to get the help you need:

Whether your regular doctor or just a general pediatrician, for youth, try getting an appointment with just a regular doctor.

For anybody who’s gone to the hospital for appointments, you know that there is a time when they will ask a guardian (if present) to step out so they may ask you private questions. This is your window of opportunity.

Whether it be because you don’t wish to discuss this with a guardian around, or simply because this is the time when your less physical issues are brought up by the doctor.

The doctor will, of course, ask the basic questions. (do you drink? Do you smoke? Are you sexually active? Etc.) They will also, most likely, ask you at some point about your feelings- this is the prime moment to bring up any thoughts about depression, self-injury or suicidal thoughts.

If, for some reason, this is not brought up, they will most likely ask right before leaving for your guardian if you have any questions- this is also a good time to bring it up to the doctor.

While I have had many different doctors I have spoke to about my own issues, I cannot for sure say how they will handle it- they might suggest referring you to a counselor, or to the psych clinic when it’s in town. This is the hope, obviously, though I cannot assure you of what will happen.

As a note- for teens wondering, doctors are legally required to have confidentiality about what you discuss in private (as they typically explain at the start). This includes whatever you talk about involving your sexuality, gender identity or mental health. The only time this confidentiality may be breached is if the doctor is seriously concerned for your safety- this means abuse, suicidal thoughts, getting involved with seriously dangerous people. You get the drill.

While I can’t for sure promise that this method will work, I suggest that if you really want to seek professional health, you try this route- or you could always try simply immediately going to the counselors, but I’ve found that method can get you put on a very long waiting list- something most people don’t want.

For those who aren’t comfortable seeking professional help in the form of counselors, please consider the links I listed- they are very helpful, and can help you both directly or by working as a sort of online counseling by helping you to help yourself.

Good luck and good wishes to you all, and I hope you all have a wonderful summer- though it’s still pretty cold out.

Recently, I found myself being one of 200 delegates chosen to attend a conference in Toronto to discuss the stigma around mental health, and most importantly; how to get rid of it.

The Jack Summit, as the conference is called, is held yearly. This year, 200 youths and young adults from around Canada met in Toronto, and 500 students from around Canada joined us from satellite summits. All 700 of us met with one common goal: to transform the way we think about mental health.

Here in Canada, the stigma around mental health is still strong, and society as a whole still has many wrong viewpoints about it. Often, people today still forget a crucial fact regarding mental health: everybody has it.

Mental health is just like physical health- while some have better mental health than others, it’s something we all must strive to take care of and ‘keep in shape’, so to speak. Regardless of whether or not one has a mental disorder, everybody has mental health- we all have thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and it plays a big part in who we are and how we live our day to day lives. If one has poor mental health, life becomes hard and even our physical health may become affected, as well.

At the summit, many good points were brought up and discussed, one of them being the subject of men and mental health- or more specifically, how our society still holds the idea that men should ‘man up’ and not speak about their emotions. Obviously, this doesn’t help at all for boys who suffer from mental illness, and often keeps them silent and makes them keep from discussing the problems they have and getting the help they need.

This might come as a shock to many people, but in the year of 2011, ¾ of the Canadian youth who died by suicide were male. When many people picture mental illness, the face that comes to mind is usually of a woman- especially for disorders like depression, or for eating disorders.

However, men suffer just as much from mental illness as women do- the difference being that men when voicing their problems are often told to ‘man up’ and ‘get over it’, and are even looked down upon by women and even other men for having these problems.

Many young males in Canada today aren’t willing to speak up about their mental health because of both the stigma surrounding mental health, and because of the way society tells men to act. Society tells men to hide their emotions because it isn’t “manly” to feel sad or to cry, or to talk about one’s feelings. Many boys today don’t realize that talking about your feelings doesn’t make you less of a man- it makes you a better one, as you step up and you acknowledge that you need help and are willing to seek the help you need.

Another thing that we discussed at the summit was our society’s “social norms”, and we asked the question: “Why isn’t it normal to have a conversation about mental health?”

It was brought up that though asking how somebody is doing is seen as the polite and expected thing to do, most of the time it seems a natural response to say “I’m fine,” even when you really aren’t. Sometimes when people ask the simple question, “How are you?” they don’t even stick around and wait for the reply- it’s become that natural to expect a simple ‘I’m fine’ in response.

So it was decided that we need to change what is our society’s ‘normal’. All of us need to step up and strive to make a change to what we view as our ‘normal’- why shouldn’t we be able to talk freely about our mental health? Why shouldn’t boys still be seen as ‘manly’, even when they talk about how they’ve been feeling? Why isn’t this a commonplace thing, and how can we make it ‘normal’?

Though it might seem like a hard thing to do, it’s a fact that change starts out small. It starts with you and me, doing small things every day to set the metaphorical ball in motion. You can start by trying to break down the barriers society has set up; try to demolish people’s views of us vs them, and you can try sharing your own struggles or stories with people- your friends, your distant family, peers- anybody.

Even if you aren’t ready to make the change in others, you can still make the change in yourself- if you’re struggling, seek help. Talk to your school’s guidance counselor, talk to a friend, to a parent, or somebody you trust. Find somebody who can help you or just listen, and can support you when you’re feeling low. The change doesn’t have to start in others- it starts with you, too.

There are many resources around you, both in real life (counselors, parents, friends, doctors, etc.) and online. Here are some that I’ve heard are very helpful;

7cupsoftea.com– a site where you can talk to people, completely free of charge, about your problems, and you can also volunteer to talk to other’s about their problems as well

imalive.org – a site that works as an online chat for suicidal people/people in crisis

kidshelpphone.ca – kids help phone is a pretty common name used when telling us Canadian youth about ways to reach out for help, and I will even admit that I’ve used it myself and find that it is helpful. Now Kids Help Phone also offers online chatting sessions for those who prefer to type rather than talk. You can also post questions about your problems on one of the forums (and get answers within 2-3 days), and if you really need to talk now, you can still call them at 1-800-668-6868.

Remember, the change starts with you, even if the first step is to help yourself. Don’t be afraid to speak up and speak out, and remember to make some noise.

Many people in their life will experience some form of anxiety or nerves- it’s a fact of life. Whether it’s stage fright, being nervous about asking somebody out, or feeling jittery about your first job interview, everybody feels it. However, there are people who will experience anxiety in a whole new way- in the form of a disorder.

Around 20% of people in Canada will, at some point in their lives, experience a mental illness, and about 5% will have a form of anxiety disorder that will cause impairment (as according to cmha.ca).

What many people suffering from anxiety do not know, however, is that they are not alone. There are many, many people who suffer the way they do every day, but so many remain silent about it. This is especially true in Canadian north, where many see mental health as something to stay silent about. Something that shouldn’t be spoken of, and should be kept private.

Coping with anxiety can be hard, especially if you don’t know how to, or don’t have any sort of a support system. It is especially hard for the teens affected by it. I should know, as just last year I was diagnosed with anxiety myself.

Of course, at first I didn’t really want to accept it. All my life, I’d just thought I was a little ‘shy’, that it was something I could easily get over if I tried. That turned out to not be the case, though, as when I was fourteen, I learnt that I wasn’t just simply shy- I had a mental illness.

Being a teen with a mental illness, like anxiety, can be a struggle. Every day you have to get up and go to school, doing numerous things that can cause anxiety to spring up- interacting with people you don’t know well, doing presentations for a class of over 20+ people, working in groups. Everyday life can be a series of hurdles you have to force yourself to jump over, no matter how hard it is.

Though just everyday activities can seem like a challenge, there are numerous ways to cope, and everybody has their own way. A good way to cope with anxiety is to find a method that works for you.

For me, I find that I use many different ways to keep anxiety in check- listening to relaxing music, meditation, and anxiety help apps are some of my favourite ways to work through it.

For all those who find their phone to be one of their best friends, I have good news. There are many, many free apps one can download to their mobile device that will not only give you tips on how to cope, but will also provide little exercises and even have kits that will keep track of how you cope and what works best for you. The ones I have tried and find to be the most useful are MindShift and SAM. They are both free anxiety help apps that can easily be found and installed on the appstore.

MindShift– This app has many useful things to do. It has inspirational quotes, a way for checking and recording your own anxiety, and a system that guides you through creating your own personal plan for dealing with a situation that causes you anxiety. Whether the situation be anxiety before a test, or dealing with new people, it has ways for you to deal, and a way for you to make a plan.

SAM- SAM is another free anxiety-help app. SAM is simple and easy to use, and I have found it to be very helpful. SAM also has a way of recording your anxiety, and it even has extra features in it that can be used in overwhelming situations to calm yourself down. My favourite of them is the ‘Calm breathing’ exercise, where it helps you to breathe slowly and naturally, a successful way to calm one down during an anxiety attack.

For those who aren’t as tech savvy or prefer ways other than technology to calm down- don’t worry, there are ways for you, too. Any sort of relaxing activity can help- meditation, yoga, eating healthy. They all help to improve mood and to relax your body’s systems. There are more ways, however, which I have put into a helpful list:

Listen to classical music (not the favourite music genre of teens everywhere, but it’s calming and relaxing)

Paint pictures of the sky

Write “I am okay” in rainbow repeatedly

Wrap a fluffy blanket around yourself, and snuggle with it. Maybe try running the blanket through your drier first, because when you pull it out it will be more warm and soft.

Listen to nature and ambient sounds

Turn off all the lights in your room and listen to your breathing (try keeping track of your breathing if you’re feeling anxious)

Drink something hot- tea, warm milk, coffee, hot chocolate, anything

Listen to feel good songs- songs that no matter the day or time give you a feeling of happiness or being calm

Paint the sunset, or the colors in it

Create an intricate design of swirls

Doodle on your arms in non-toxic washable marker

Write down the best things about you on a bright sheet of paper and in a bright marker or pencil crayon

Make a list of things that make you happy

Play with a friendly or cuddly animal

Type out everything negative you feel in a pretty font, then delete the file, or write them down on a piece of paper and rip it up

Try to starting learning a new language

Pretend to be playing an instrument- mimic pressing the keys of a piano, the strumming of a guitar

Study a different culture in the world

Learn about a foreign country’s history

Hum loudly, and don’t care who hears

Find music that makes you feel good and turn it into a playlist

Organize your dvds, cds or books- whatever needs organizing

Clean a room

Take a hot shower or bath, bubbles are recommended but not necessary.

If it’s night, stare out the window and count how many stars you can see. Make a wish on a few of them.

Eat the sweetest food you can find

Then eat the healthiest food you can find

Put something cold on your forehead, and something warm on the rest of your body (ex: a warm blanket with a cold towel on your forehead)

Chew on gum, taffy or some other chewable substance

Breathe in and out through a straw, or blow bubbles in a drink

Make a smoothie with all your favorite fruits in it

Play an instrument, or sing, or dance

Make an extensive list of all the people you love, and why you love them and the best things about them

Send it to them later, if you feel like it

Tell somebody you love them

Force yourself to smile. No matter how hard or fake it is, smile. As wide as possible.

Look at funny and cute things of cats- they help, seriously

Go onto a good joke site and read as many jokes as possible until you laugh

Read quotes about life, about peace, about life.

Make up a song with lyrics meaningful to you

Sleep. Sleep for a long time, in short intervals- whatever. Just sleep.

Talk to somebody you love a lot. Not about anything in particular- just about anything. It helps.

Watch disney movies

Listen to disney music

Watch a movie that makes you feel good or that you liked to watch when you were little

Make a root beer float

Eat apple pie, with butterscotch icecream (It’s yummy!)

Eat your favourite food

Snuggle with a stuffed animal

Scrapbook

Learn about something that’s always interested you, but you never took the time to look up

Personalize your notebooks (scribble on the cover, put stickers on the pages, color the lines in with colored pen, etc.)

Listen to your favorite band or musician, or your favorite song

Sew something, try knitting

Compliment somebody else

Make somebody else happy

Make a stranger smile

Lay down and close your eyes- don’t need to sleep, just to rest

Find blogs about happy things

Read happy stories

Read a romantic story

Watch a romantic movie or series

Watch your favorite episode of your favorite TV series

Nerd out about a favorite book or comic- or anything, really

Do ANYTHING that makes you happy, basically.

Coping with anxiety can be hard- really, coping with any mental illness can be a struggle, but you have to remember that no matter what, you aren’t alone. There are steps you can take to make it easier- whether it be any of the methods above, or one you come up with on your own, there are ways. You just need to find one that works for you.